New Delhi: The most intense speculation around the Game of Thrones season 8, the penultimate one, is over who will ascend the Iron Throne at the end and rule the world? Fan sites and media outlets around the world have come up with their own theories.

If one can restrain the urge to be either safe or sensational, the best way to make an assumption is by common sense and intelligent guesses.
So, what could be the biggest giveaways in the plot so far?

1. Is Daenerys widely popular?

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Do a poll online on who are the most popular characters of GoT, and ten out of ten times you will arrive on three names — Tyrion Lannister, Arya Stark and Jon Snow. Lately, Sansa Stark and Jamie Lannister’s likeability has surged. A lot of people like Daenerys or Khaleesi, but she would not feature among the top 3 most popular characters in the series.

A lot of people feel she is overly ambitious, undeserving in terms of military acumen, and can be rude and ruthless. So, why would the creators reward her with the highest post finally?

2. The killing of Samuell Tarly’s family

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Samuell Tarly is one of the unlikely heroes of Game of Thrones. He is a clumsy, un-warriorly, kind nerd. People love his loyalty, honesty, unseemly courage and deftness and dedication in science and medicine.

The look of helpless grief on his face when Daenerys says she had ordered the killing of his father and brother for allying with Cersei and refusing to bend their knees was disarming. Khaleesi has hurt an innocent. Another moral failing? Is she fit to rule the world?

3. Why introduce a wildcard Targaryen?

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It beats logic that the writers of the series would introduce without a strong reason the vital twist of Jon Snow being Aegon Targaryen, son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark, and thus the rightful claimant to the throne.

The plot built Snow up as the ‘bastard’, an underdog, and then lends him kingly qualities. Like Harry Potter, the boy who lived, Jon Snow is the man who came back from the lap of death and lived.

4. Is incest fine for the greatest ruler?

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The sexual and romantic engagement between Jon and Dany – who didn’t know so far she was his aunt by blood – could be shortlived. They could be excused for getting into bed without knowing that aspect, but would they carry on after knowing they are related? If the GoT creators had to kill one of the two, who is more popular and thus more difficult to sacrifice?

5. Who keeps the dragons?

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Perhaps the biggest giveaway and spoiler this season has been Jon Snow’s initiation to riding a dragon. The dragons, after all, are Dany’s unbeatable weapons and biggest claim to power. Jon has power over them now.

Our guess: The one to ascend the Iron Throne would not be Khaleesi. In fact, she could be killed in the coming episodes. Jon Snow, the kindhearted warrior, would finally be the king to all.